Summer Quinoa Salad with Fennel, Squash, Peas, Leeks and Corn

There is something mind numbingly peaceful about shucking peas.

The tug of the string, the snap of the casing, the pop, pop, pop of sweet little peas hitting the bowl.   (Or, the floor.)

Feisty little things. 

I'm heading out of town again.   Visiting the family in New Hampshire.     The weather report is predicting mid 70s and sunny.    A vacation from the overly balmy 98 we are dealing with in North Carolina today.  

I told myself I'd get up early and hit the trail before the sun rose and the cicadas woke up.   (Didn't happen.)

What did happen is a sweat soaked mid-day romp through the woods, fending off gnats and breathing in warm jasmine coated air.   Sunscreen dripping from my red skin.   All the more sweeter for those little gnats.   They like me.  

I think they might like this salad also.   It's sweet.   And cool.

Given our pending escape, I did a swing through the fridge to clear out the 'forgotten'.  I was rewarded with peas, corn on the cob, leeks, baby fennel and some yellow squash.  

They came together to produce a light and fragrant summer salad when combined with quinoa.   If you've stopped by here before, you know how much I love quinoa.  

The corn and freshly shucked peas add crisp sweetness and color; the fennel and basil in the dressing add fragrance.   The leeks provide a little earthiness which together with the olive oil and garlic give this salad a little more depth.   This recipe makes a huge bowl of summer salad.    Divvy it up into sides or eat as a main if you are looking for a light vegetarian dinner.

Cool and sweet and strangely calming.

Do you do this?   The fridge sweep before traveling?    

Summer Quinoa Salad with Fennel, Squash, Peas, Leeks and Corn


Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, green and white parts only, halved and sliced
1 cup freshly shucked peas*
3 ears corn, kernels removed
4 small yellow squash, chopped
1 baby fennel bulb, sliced thin and chopped

Preparation
Prepare the quinoa.   In a medium pot, add 1 cup rinsed quinoa to 2 cups of water.   Bring to a boil.   Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.   Remove from heat and set aside.

While quinoa is cooking, prepare vegetables.   In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium low heat.   Add leeks and saute for 5 minutes until softened.    Stir peas and corn into leeks and saute for another 3 - 5 minutes.    Raise heat to medium and add in squash and fennel.    Saute for another 3 - 4 minutes until crisp tender.     Remove vegetable mixture from heat and prepare dressing (below).

Combine cooled quinoa, vegetables and dressing in large bowl.    Use all of the dressing for a wetter salad.   If you prefer drier, use less.  

Basil Fennel Vinaigrette Dressing


Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, loosely packed
1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds (the dill looking part)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 - 5 turns cracked pepper

Preparation
Add all ingredients to small bowl and whisk together until combined.  

*Fresh peas add a special sweetness and crispness to this salad, but you could also substitute with frozen.

Lake House Salad with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette

Coppertone.   Burning coals.   Oreo cookies.

Smells like Memorial Day Weekend.

Lathered in lotions to kick start our summer tans, decked out in neon bathing suits, reading the latest issue of Glamour.    If I'm honest, throw in some big hair and way too long fingernails.   True children of the 80s.

First weekend of summer.

At the lake in New Hampshire, hanging out at the kitchen counter.  Feet freshly rinsed clean from sand.   Wrapped in towels to keep from soaking the furniture.

With the Indy 500 whizzing by in the background, we dangle our feet from stools and take breaks from the sun.    Hot dogs with mustard straight from the grill.    Salads doused in Italian dressing.   Oreos for dessert.   Oreos for a snack.   Oreos... just because we could.

Sweatshirts in the evening.   Cool lake air.   Baseball with our neighbors.  Rummy on the porch.   Movies on the couch.    Sleeping like little babies.

(These days, it's a little less about the oreos and a little more about the salads and the sunscreen.)   

What is it about holidays that bring back memories from our childhood?   What smells do you equate with summer? 

Lake House Salad
serves 6 - 8


Ingredients
Head of lettuce, rinsed, rough chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup snow peas, chopped
6 - 8 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 large red onion, diced
1/2 cucumber, chopped

Preparation
Add everything to a large bowl and mix.   Toss with vinaigrette when ready to serve.

*******************

Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette


Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons honey
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Add all ingredients to small bowl and whisk until combined.   Salt and pepper to taste.   Serve with Summer Salad or any other salad that you prefer!

Tandoori Lentils and Sweet Potatoes

The trip home yesterday was uneventful.

I woke up.   Packed my bags.   Looked around the room.  Checked out of the hotel.   Grabbed a taxi.    Chatted with driver on a traffic free trip to the airport.    Checked into my flight.   Breezed through security.   Bought two magazines.   Read one magazine.   Found my seat at the back of the plane.   Ate peanuts.  Read another magazine.   Took a five minute nap.   Landed.    Called John to pick me up.   Walked outside.   Got in car.

Truly.  Uneventful.

After all of the buzz and excitement of the past couple of days, my re-entry into normal life was quite calm.  

I had a wonderful time at BlogHer Food in Atlanta.   Still digesting it all (pun intended).  

I'll share some of this with you here, but for now, will share our dinner from last night.  

Our conversation in the car ride home:

"I'm tired."

"Okay, so what do you want for dinner?"

"Don't care.   What do we have?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Bread, peanut butter and jelly, one egg."

I knew there had to be more to it.   Sure enough, my vegetable drawer still held a virtual bounty of last weeks  farmers market score.    A couple of sweet potatoes, some baby spinach.   Carrots.   Garlic.  Cilantro.  A bag of lentils that's been sitting in the back of my pantry waiting for the right day.  I started to develop a plan, inspired by Smitten Kitchen's recipe for Curried Lentils and Sweet Potatoes.

Ignore the fact that it was 90 degrees in North Carolina yesterday.   Not exactly soup weather.  I cranked the AC inside and was rewarded with some healthy and colorful comfort food, perfect for unwinding after a long weekend away.  Sweet and mildly spicy, highly flavorful.    The depth of the spices was lightened by liberal use of cilantro and sprinkling of lime.  Filling and nutritious.  Will definitely make this again.

(As a bonus, this recipe is multipurpose.   If you like soup, cook it less.  If you like stew, cook it more.  Great leftovers too.)

How was your weekend?   Has your re-entry into Monday been bearable? 

Tandoori Lentils and Sweet Potatoes  (6 - 8 servings)


Ingredients


1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 medium sized carrots, peeled, sliced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon tandoori spice*
3 teaspoons grated ginger
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 cup lentils, rinsed
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
garnish - light sour cream, cilantro, lime juice

Preparation


Heat oil on stove in large soup pot until warm.    Add carrots and sweet potatoes and saute on medium heat until slightly softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.    Add chopped garlic and ginger and saute another minute or two until fragrant.   Stir onion powder and tandoori spice into vegetable mixture until coated.

Pour chicken broth and water into pot and stir.   Add lentils and bay leaf and bring mixture to a boil.   Cover and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.     Add in chopped spinach, salt and pepper and stir.   Cook for another 30 - 60 minutes on low heat until you reach desired consistency.  

Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.  Serve garnished with light sour cream and liberal sprinkling of cilantro and lime juice.

*I use Penzey's Tandoori spice, which can be found online or in local retail shops.  

My Favorite Sandwich

Do you have a favorite sandwich?

I'm on a crazy egg kick at the moment.   Such a perfect little food.   The "incredible edible egg" all wrapped up in a biodegradable package, full of protein and so versatile.  I've been playing with frittatas and quiches lately but I always come back to the simple fried egg.   A little crispy on the edges, but still oozy in the middle.   Definitely has to be oozy.

Did you know that the egg has 13 essential minerals and vitamins and only 70 calories?   Not too bad.

The egg is really the cornerstone of this sandwich.   Add a little avocado and some mustard and you have yourself a great little lunch.   I'm not even sure this qualifies as a recipe, given how simple it is, but sometimes simple truly is best!

What's your favorite? 

Egg and Avocado Sandwich


Ingredients

1 egg, fried
1/2 avocado, sliced thin
two slices whole wheat bread
Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation


Fry egg to your usual preference.  I recommend sunny side up and soft in the middle, purely for the ooze factor.

Lightly toast two slices of bread.   Spread one side with Dijon mustard.   Top with avocado slices.

Add egg to second slice.    Season with salt and pepper.   Put the two parts together and enjoy!

Farmers Market Frittata

I'm feeling like my last post was all doom and gloom.   I didn't intend for that, but it really was an altering experience.   I was talking to John about it after he read my post and he said it was a good thing I closed my eyes when I did.   We were truly lucky.

Despite the storm and the disappointment that my family wasn't able to make it in due to weather related travel disruptions, Easter weekend turned itself around.    We had a great visit with family, ending with a  fabulous Easter brunch filled with gorgeous fruits, eggs, pastries and ham.    I wish I had hauled out the camera so I could show you a picture of the beautiful table, but I was preoccupied with eating it all.   So good!

The day ended with an Easter egg hunt for all the little ones.    We had some tears, white clothes and knees turned muddy, kite flying and tons of nostalgic cuteness.   I can remember my own days of Easter egg hunts in the yard on Easter morning.    I'm pretty sure my brother and I fought over an egg or two.    Kids are funny (and cute).

In keeping with the Easter/spring theme, I thought I'd share a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for a Sunday morning at home.     I used a bunch of ingredients we had left over from this weeks CSA box, but you could easily substitute your own "end of week" vegetables in this very adaptable recipe.

Farmers Market Frittata (serves 2)


Ingredients


2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup red onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups baby spinach, rough chopped
4 large eggs
3/4 shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons skim or reduced fat milk
1/2 teaspoon dill
salt and pepper
1 small tomato, diced

Preparation


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crack four eggs into medium size bowl.   Whisk until blended.   Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese, dill and two tablespoons milk.    Stir and set aside.

Heat medium sized skillet over medium/low heat.    Add and melt butter in skillet.    Add red onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes until slightly softened.    Add garlic and saute 1 minute until fragrant.    Add sliced mushrooms to vegetable mixture and saute 3 - 4 additional minutes.   Add spinach and saute until wilted, about another minute.   Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet and swirl pan until fully coated and even.   Cook for 4 - 5 minutes over medium low heat on stove until eggs are mostly set.    Remove from heat and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place skillet in oven for another 5 minutes until ready (cheese is melted and slight browning).    Remove from skillet and serve with fresh diced tomato.

**********************

On another note, I'm beginning to grow a small addiction to eggs lately.    I'm thoroughly excited that I just received my first batch of farm fresh eggs in the box this week.   They look like regular eggs, except for being a nice mixture of brown and white.   I can't wait to see how they taste!   I read an article on the plane this weekend about urban chicken coops.   I'm not ready to go that far yet, but this might be a nice alternative.

Thai Basil and Mint Shrimp Stir Fry

This is my idea of a perfect dinner.

Fresh, healthy, colorful, quick.   (With a twist of lime and a sprinkling of fresh herbs.)

Back at home in North Carolina following my quick trip to visit my family up north.   Arrived home to a sparkling clean house.   A good sign that my husband really whooped it up while I was gone.   I was happy.

Time to start doing some personal cleaning.   Need to get rid of all the excessive carbs and salt from my travel.   Since I consistently gain five pounds as soon as I set foot into a restaurant setting, I usually require some detoxification time, a little damage reversal.   I always feel a gazillion times better afterwards, so it is in everyone's best interest to support me in this.

Today's recipe is just what I needed.   I love shrimp.  They take about two seconds to make (okay, three minutes) and it all ends up being very light.   This one throws in some vibrant thai flavors that, along with my super clean house, made me a very happy girl.

And on an adventurous note, this recipe gave me a chance to conquer my fear of Asian Fish Sauce.   Perhaps, an irrational one, but a fear nonetheless.    Fear, no more.

Thai Basil and Mint Shrimp Stir Fry


Ingredients


2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons southeast Asian Fish Sauce
5 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch dice
1 medium yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch dice
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup torn fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Preparation


Combine soy sauce, water, fish sauce and honey in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat wok on stove over medium high heat.   Add olive oil until hot (water droplets should sizzle when added).   Add ginger and garlic.   Saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.    Add shrimp to wok and stir fry for two to three minutes until just pink on all sides.   Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside in medium bowl.

Add onion, pepper and snow peas to wok and stir fry two minutes until just browned.    Add soy sauce mixture to vegetables in wok and stir.   Add shrimp to mixture and bring to a boil for another minute until shrimp is lightly glazed.

Add tomatoes to wok and stir fry another 15 to 30 seconds until coated.  

Remove wok from stove and pour into serving dish.   Add freshly squeezed lemon, basil and mint to top and gently mix.    Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Food Network.    Substituted honey for the brown sugar.  Substituted olive oil for the peanut oil.   Eliminated chili's and jalepeno.   Added additional garlic and snow peas.    Served with quinoa.

What is your 'go to' detox dish? 

Orange Scented Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos

I have a terrible record with oranges lately.   Love them, just can't seem to eat them fast enough.

January usually has me craving citrus.     A month when oranges are actually good and not those dried up flavorless versions you find during non-citrus months.  

I also have a small addiction for buying boxes of little cuties clementines.    (Whoever came up with the idea of little cuties is a marketing genius.)

So, this week, I found myself with an aging box of cuties and a bag full of fresh from the backyard oranges from a friend.    As if this wasn't enough, John arrived home from work with a gift box filled with perfectly wrapped Cushman honeybell oranges which we promptly taste tasted and declared to be some of the juiciest, sweetest oranges we've ever had.  

Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Whole Wheat Pasta

Lately, you've been seeing a lot of baking showing up here on the blog.   There's actually a bit of method to my madness.  

I have always been one who expresses my creativity in the kitchen.   Helps relieve stress.   My zen time.   My husband views it as the opposite, affectionately referring to me as the 'little tornado'.    

I was thinking that maybe there was some truth in this observation.  Perhaps my cooking could use a little more precision.   Hence, all of the baking as of late.    As you know, following the recipe is pretty critical to achieving the end results.   Definitely requires focus.

(A minor, but surmountable, challenge for me as I've never been one to follow directions or play by the rules.    That said, it has been a wonderful learning experience and well worth the effort.)

Today's recipe is getting back to my roots, one of those random creations that actually turned out quite well, and I might add, is full of lots of healthy nutrients which for me, is most important.   Plus it contains so many of my favorite ingredients... what's not to love?  

Before you cringe at the combination of red pepper, avocado and lemon, it is actually very good. The avocado adds creaminess and the roasted red pepper and lemon add extra depth and brightness.   Top that with a little feta cheese and green onion... makes for a very striking and vivid presentation.


Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients
2 roasted red peppers*, sliced and seeds removed
1 medium sized ripe avocado, pitted and quartered
juice of one lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tomato, diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
fat free feta cheese
sliced green onion
1 pound whole wheat pasta (your choice, I used penne)

Preparation
1.   Boil water in large pot.    Add whole wheat pasta and cook until al dente.   Drain, reserving one cup of pasta water and set aside.
2.   Add roasted red peppers, avocado and juice of lemon to food processor.    Process until creamy and any lumps removed.   Set aside.
3.  In large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and saute garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.    Add diced tomato, cook another 1-2 minutes.  
4.  Add reserved pasta to large skillet and toss with tomato and garlic until warm and mixed.  
5.  Add roasted red pepper sauce to skillet and toss until heated.    Add additional pasta water if needed to thin sauce.
6.  Serve with fat free feta cheese and sliced green onion.

*I roasted my own red peppers, but I think this could also work well with drained roasted red peppers in a jar.

Healthy, colorful and hearty enough for a cool winter's evening.    Comfort food with a creative twist.

What's your cooking style?    Creative, throw stuff together type?   Baking queen?   A little bit of both?

Magical Powers (White Bean, Potato and Lots of Healthy Vegetables) Soup

It is probably one of the most beautiful days of the year.     Finally, September is here.    Bright Carolina blue skies are back.    I should be happy.    Why, why me?

Every muscle in my body hurts.    Every.  Single.   One.  

I could blame it on Jillian.   I could blame it on the yellow fever vaccine shot that I'm convinced is doing me in.   I could probably find a bunch of other reasons if I think hard enough, but I'm too tired.     I am admiring those gorgeous blue skies from inside on the couch because I'm sick, and therefore crabby, and very sad I'm not frolicking around outside on this beautiful hurricane free weekend.     Poor me.

It is a soup night.   A throw together whatever I can find in the kitchen kind of soup night.   Yup, I made this one up and it is really good.

Tomorrow I am supposed to go to the beach.    First time this summer.   I simply must feel better.  I have high hopes that this soup will work its magical powers over night and I will bound out of bed fresh and ready to take on the world and perhaps even the remnants of Earl in the form of super crazy waves that will knock me down to the ground over and over until I get wiped out and want to go home and take a super long nap and do it all over again on Monday.    

So, wish me luck and try this soup if you are ever in the need.   Actually, you can try it even if you are feeling healthy.   It is good like that.    As a bonus, it is not at all bad for you either and super easy to make.    Good use of all those end of summer vegetables hanging around.  

Magical Powers (White Bean, Potato and Lots of Healthy Vegetables) Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
32 oz low sodium chicken broth
4 small red potatoes, chopped (skins on)
1 can Northern White Beans, rinsed
1 large tomato, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, rough chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped rosemary
juice of 1 small lime

Heat olive oil in large stock pot on stove.    Add chopped onion and saute gently for 10 to 15 minutes on medium low heat until translucent.    Add chopped zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.   Add garlic and cook another minute or two until aroma is released.

Pour in the chicken broth.   Stir in chopped potatoes.    Cover pot and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes soften.  

Stir in white beans, tomatoes, spinach and rosemary.    Cover and simmer another 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.    Stir in lime juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.   Serve warm.   (PS - If you are feel extra special, I would imagine a little Parmesan would be good in this too!)

I know what your thinking.    Lime juice.   It is actually not a weird addition at all.   It adds the extra brightness that makes this soup taste super healthy and fresh.    I like to think of it as the Magic in the Magical Powers.

Maybe I'll see you at the beach tomorrow...  if not, wishing you a relaxing and happy long weekend with friends and family!